Powerful New Documentary Short Highlights Brave Animal Rescuers

Sarah Von Alt|

November 9, 2018

The powerful new documentary short Hurricane Heroes offers a glimpse into the lives of farmed animals who are left behind when natural disaster strikes and the brave rescuers who give their all to save them.

In September, Hurricane Florence hit the Carolinas, causing massive floods and widespread destruction. The Mercy For Animals video team went to North Carolina to document the aftermath and to speak with Jay Yontz and Kristin Hartness—the founders of Ziggy’s Refuge animal sanctuary—who went to great lengths to rescue animals suffering in the wake of the hurricane.

While the hurricane affected countless people who were forced to flee their homes, it also brought unimaginable devastation to the millions of farmed animals confined in North Carolina factory farms. These rescuers were able to save 50 chickens, three pigs, three dogs, and a deer who had been stranded in floodwaters. Now at the sanctuary, these animals will get to live each day knowing love, compassion, and respect.

—Unfortunately, most farmed animals aren’t this lucky. Unlike companion animals, who by law must be included in government evacuation plans during natural disasters, farmed animals are afforded no legal protections. So when floodwaters rushed into factory farms, animals drowned in their cages and crates with absolutely no chance of survival.

And as horrifying as this is, it’s not the first time natural disasters have killed thousands of farmed animals in North Carolina. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd dumped 19 inches of rain on the state, killing more than 2 million turkeys, chickens, and other farmed animals.

The best thing we can do to protect animals is simply to leave them off our plates. You can get delicious vegan recipes, easy plant-based meal ideas, and tips on making the switch to a vegan diet by ordering a FREE Vegetarian Starter Guide today.

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